AWAKE AGAIN Chapter 2

=== In Cairo / At night after the last events ===

The Medjai were on my tracks again! I had not only sensed their presence, no, I had seen their faces with their hideous tattoos! They knew about my resurrection, and they would do everything to destroy me, to prevent me from bringing Ancksunamun back to life. For they understood that I would be invincible then! They were afraid of the monster their ancestors helped to create!

This thought let me feel a sinister satisfaction. I remembered as if it had been yesterday, how the Medjai had tortured my priests and finally me. They had been so proud to fulfill their duty for the new Pharaoh Ramses! So bursting with arrogance, confident in their rightousness and superiority! They had laughed, hearing the painful cries and seeing the desperate tears…

Should I laugh now, seeing THEIR agitation and fear?! I tried to smile at least. But my new lips did not respond very well to the command of my will. It was a rather horrible grimace I produced in the darkness of the night. Cautiously, I traced the line of my mouth with my fingers; it still felt strange to have a face again! I rested a moment and looked around. Not because I was tired – I needed no sleep, just as little as I needed to eat or drink. And I did not halt, because I thought someone was following me. I would have sensed that soon enough, and my powers were already very strong; I could defy a bunch of enemies. I only had to materialize my own little army of Royal Scarabs… flesh eating scarabs. Or… let it rain fire from the sky! Yes, all sorts of evilties were at my command…

What did you create, Ramses, what HAVE YOU DONE?

The silent cry of my mind faded unheard from some late night pedestrians, which hurried past me. I let my gaze wander over the shabby houses in this part of the city, and then up to the bright moon. It had been a moon like this when I attempted to resurrect my beloved for the first time. Would the Gods grant me their favor now? What a preposterous assumption… I was not able to lift my eyes in the face of one of them. For my deeds in the ancient time, I was cursed and shunned from their grace. And now I would try to do the same sacrileges again, with the strength of the powers given to me by the demons of darkness! How could I ever –

Out of the shadow of an old arch, stepped a person. A young woman, I discovered a moment later in the moon light. She looked at me; with fear and repulsion, I thought first, but then I realized it was rather pity. Perhaps, she supposed me suffering from leprosy or another horrible desease. Caught by her innocence I missed the moment to escape into the darkness of another lane. She stepped over to me and let some round, shiny metal pieces fall into my hand, while whispering something I did not understand. I bowed my head, and then the woman vanished in one of the houses. I rested there, watching the now empty street. The tiny metal pieces felt cold in my hand.

A beggar, I realized. She has thought I'm a beggar…

Until now, I had refused to think about what I would do if I succeeded with my plans. Only the when and how I could regenerate and bring Ancksunamun back had had a place in my mind. But after that? What should I, what should we do, confined to this changed and strange world, where everything we knew had been gone and lost? Beggars? I did not want my beloved princess to be a beggar's wife! A thief's wife, then? My powers allowed me to dissolve into dust and pass through closed doors; I guessed I would be a formidable thief… If I chose to be one. However, I was repelled by the thought. How ridiculous, after I already had killed two more or less innocent people in this time, and in a horrible way! Two more would soon follow - the possessors of the other two canopic jars…

Pondering about this, I felt my conscience grew cold and determined again. It had to be done. I had to do what I was bound to do! My hunger grew again. Next day… next night, I would get them!

=== Next evening / The hotel ===

My heightened senses allowed me to discern what this vile grave robber did, before I saw it with my eyes. He had placed one of the remaining canopic jars on a chair and aimed with one of the things Beni called a 'gun' at it. I had seen the destructive potential of these new weapons. This moron was about to DESTROY the jar – just for fun! I could not allow that – I would not! Like a harsh breeze, I was through the window and materialized in front of the man. All his frightened defences were of no use to him; I took his life force before he was able to cry for help. Letting the now lifeless hull of the grave robber's body fall down, I caught a view of me in the mirror on the opposite wall.

Me. Yes, ME! Only a little part of the man greeting me from the mirror still reminded at the living dead from the catacombs at Hamunaptra. Then, some other sensation let fade my nearly childish joy to have my face back.

I sensed her. The woman, who awoke me. She was in the other room, locked in, how I discovered the very next moment. A prisoner?! Had these vulgar men taken her prisoner?! However, the door was no barrier for ME. I slipped through the keyhole… grain by grain of sand…

Finally, I stood in her room. She was asleep, and therefore I had time to study her, my beautiful redeemer. Yes, she was beautiful…incredibly beautiful… And even if her traits beared no resemblence to my beloved, Ancksunamun was all I could see in her. I could feel her, I was drawn to her, and I was too overwhelmed to ask why. I longed to touch her; this desire filled my mind so completely, I forgot the situation and my own fragile condition. I bent down to kiss her. Her lips were so warm and soft and alive, as I felt her responding to me...

Nevertheless, the wonderful illusion lasted only for the blink of an eye. Not yet fully regenerated, I decayed by contact with her.

She awoke, startled, and tried to push me away in panic. Informed by her cries or out of coincidence – the same moment, the door sprang open and I found myself face to face with the other grave robbers and Medjai-toadies. The woman took the opportunity to take cover behind her bed. I was not willing to leave. I had to talk with her; I had to know the truth! But the meowing, snarling white fur ball in the one man's arms ruined all my plans. I had to leave again!

I was full of anger, full of fury. It radiated from me like lightning from a stormy sky, and it created a stormy sky indeed. Darkness fell down over the land, and disease and death over its people. The Bringer of Death finally fulfilled his mission; I thought sarcastically and unleashed another plague. The world had denied me everything, all even the lowest, vilest slave of Egypt was allowed to have! Ramses and the Medjai had taken everything from me, yet my humanity! Now they should harvest! Now they should taste a part of my pain and agony! At least a little bit…

I was angry with myself. I had been distracted by this strange woman, and to be honest, I was still! She was Ancksunamun and was not. I was confused and frightened seeing the deeds I was capable of now, and yet could not stop it. I felt like sinking into a dark bottomless water, drowning, and no longer in control of my mind. Even my little servant Beni did not dare coming too close to me. He crouched behind one of these ugly modern sculptures at this place and watched in awe, how I commanded people to do my will. Still one of the canopic jars was missing. And one victim to complete my regeneration!

I found both in a place Beni named a 'Museum', and as I walked in, followed by my new acquired mind-controlled army, I realized that it was a storage place for the grave robbers. Precious objects everywhere, papyri, even mummies, and mostly stuffed rather carelessly one over another! What a disgusting time this was! It was right I had been released now… to clean the world from these impurities…

They attempted to escape in one of their 'au-to-mo-biles'! The damned Medjai breed alongside! But they could not outrun ME! My horde of slaves hunted them through the streets, cornered them, until there was no way out and I could grab my last victim. I felt nothing anymore as I killed him, except perhaps satisfaction. Even that was only a fading glow. I cradled the last of the canopic jars. My beloved Ancksunamun, soon we will be together! … Will you still love me after all this?

I heard shouting and yelling from another alley and saw the Medjai, their fair-haired slave who already had tried to destroy me in Hamunaptra, and… their beautiful prisoner. What did they want with her? I decided I could not let her in the hands of my enemies, even if I still doubted if she had the soul of my beloved. In any case, I would take her with me; make her immortal as well, to thank her for freeing me! The crowd of my servants split and let me pass; the men showed me the reverence due to a prince.

My redeemer stood in between of two of the Medjai – cursed they shall be – and their slave. As I strode forward confidentially, our eyes met. Again, I sensed this odd familiarity. And this time I thought I would see a spark of recognition in her eyes, too… Or were it only the torches of the Medjai, I wondered. The fair-haired slave said something to her. Her name? Eh-ve-lin… How weird this sounded!

I walked closer, gaze fixed on her face, and hers on mine.

You have to recognize me, finally! You HAVE TO!

I sensed the preeminent cold darkness assault me again, trying to wrap my mind completely. However, for the moment, the link of our eyes was stronger and I could fight the dark powers of the curse. "Come with me, my princess!" I said and made an inviting gesture towards her. "It is time to make you mine for all eternity! … Take my hand, and I will spare the others!"

In fact, I had no interest at all in their miserable lives! I already had what I wanted; though Eh-ve-lin seemed to care for them. I wanted to give her a sign of my good will. And I did not want to beg in front of all these low life creatures, Medjai-breed and slaves!

Now, she came! Despite the efforts of the Medjai and their slave to hold her back, she came to me, and I held her with a tight grip. I gave my enemies a triumphant look! They would not have her again, imprison her or whatever else! I turned around, leading her with me like a king his wife into his palace. I wanted to bring her back to my little hiding place, where I kept the Book of the Dead and the other canopic jars. I wanted to ask her, if she felt the same as I did, if she remembered anything of us!

But instead of all this, I only ordered my slaves: "Kill them all!" and held the woman firmly, now that she struggled to escape me. Gods of Egypt, why did I say this?! This was not, what I was up to! This was wrong! What had formed these words in my mind, what had put them onto my tongue?! I looked down at my redeemer. All her compliance was gone. Distaste was all I still could see in her face. What have I done? What is happening?